Earth Dreams DI and Reliability (and Towing)
 

I am deciding between the 2013 and 2015 fit. I am wary of the "unproven" Earth Dreams Direct Injection engine, so I have been doing some research. I understand it is in the 2013 Accord inline 4 model. I found lots of used 2013 Accords on Autotrader with up to 76,000 miles on them. These moderately high mileage Earth Dreams cars and the fact that no one has been talking about Accord 2013 carbon buildup seems like a promising sign. Still not sure about fuel diluting the oil, but it's a start. Thoughts?

Cars listed here

This question is similar to question about preferred oil. People have all kinds of personal opinions and there aren't too many objective facts that we have access to.

If you ask me, yes, I am apprehensive about DI and especially CVT.
But I don't have to buy a car right now as my 2012 only has 15K miles on it.
One way to reason for DI is that Honda decided to release that engine worldwide. That should mean that Honda placed its reputation of reliability and quality on the line with this engine and has decided to DO it.

But it doesn't mean the engine is going to be as reliable as the proven L15 that GE8 has.
Maybe it's too early to tell. Maybe we will not know. Asking mechanics at Honda dealerships 3+ yrs from now could be a good source of information.

Some bmws and audis have been known to suffer from sludge and carbon build up related to DI. Maybe Honda's engine is not going to need anything special until 140,000 miles, but then it may need service that regular injection engines don't (e.g. cleaning of the intake valves, changing the injector nozzles, increased failure rate of extremely high pressure fuel pumps that are needed for DI.

My suggestion is that if you need a new car, buy the Fit with 6 MT. You are probably going to be ok. Since it's safer, it's worth it. Warranty is going to give you a piece of mind for a few years as well.

How soon do you think about purchasing a car?

^^you do know the CVT has been on the fit since it was ever released yeah? just not the american version. I dont like it cause of how it drives but its an area Im not worried about reliability. Friends flat tow 3000lb cars with GD CVT fits with near 200k kms on them and they dont fail. Thats good enough for me.

They are flat towing the CVT? I was told you can't do that. Didn't know if it is them covering their butt or if it actually does damage.

I thought it was a bad idea but didnt have another car at the time and it didnt have a problem pulling an s14 silvia from Suzuka back to Osaka (about 2 hours drive up and down hills) So they cant be crazy fragile. note that was in a GD which is over 10 years old with a heap of mileage on it too.

Well, we plan on towing with a dolly to protect the warranty anyway but that is interesting. :)

Concerning the carbon build up on the back of the valves on DI engines, some have installed "catch cans" with baffles between the crankcase and intake (PCV). In theory this catches all the oil droplets in the vapor before going into the intake. This does require the owner to drain the residue caught in the can, and is why they don't come installed from the factory.

Actually what he wrote was: "Friends flat tow 3000lb cars with GD CVT fits", which seems to mean that the CVT Fit was doing the towing, not being towed.

sorry yes missed that. But thats correct, the fit was doing the towing.


not sure how being towed shows how good the transmission is LOL

AHHH, great clarification! Big difference! LOL

I would really like to get a car within a month. My 23 year old truck has needed a lot of work in the last 5 years I've had it, and I would like to change it out quickly as possible. That said, I'm not desperate, truck is decently reliable.

I am interested in the 2015 because it should have better crash test ratings, and the slight boost in hp and torque would be nice as well.

Also the fact that a 2013 Fit would be considered a two year old vehicle as soon as I bought it. A smaller factor would be that I can only find silver Fit Sport manuals near me, and I would prefer a base white manual. White cars are said to hold their appearance and show blemishes and dirt less.

Two dealer in my area have the same car, a silver Sport manual, and I have offers for 16,700 or so from both, and I would do a College Graduate 500 off.

Thanks for the advice, the DI seems like it won't need the extreme cleanings at 15,000/30,000 miles that some DI models need, but no one has concrete evidence. Still 77,000 miles and no reports on the internet seem like a good sign.

Concerning the catch cans, I've read up on it, will do more research on it (frequency of cleaning, cost, etc)

I bought the 2015 based on Honda's strong reputation AND my experience with prior models, including 2 2009 Fit Sports. This delay in initial Gen 3 deliveries, while very frustrating, actually reinforced my opinion of their commitment to quality.

So far my Fit is running like a well built watch. Only adjustment I am making is to the sound and character of the CVT. Not bad or awkward, just new.

Lemon law, standard warranty, and their free roadside assistance protects against early failures. Extended warranty is about $850 online for up to 120K miles/72 mos, which will cover any long term concerns. It’s a Honda.

IMO, I would not hesitate a moment to buy another one if I was in a position to do so.

Good thinking on the Honda Care warranty, and from what I understand it can be purchased up until the standard warranty runs out, correct? I am likely going for a 2015 Fit, then. No CVT for me, though. Thank you!

Well, if a manufacturer would come out with a small car equipped with an auto transmission that could be towed they would immediately pick up a significant market from the folks who tow behind their RVs. Currently their only options are manual transmissions or 4x4s with a neutral position in the transfer case. That's why you see so many Jeeps behind motor homes.

The outgoing GE8 Fit (with an automatic transmission) can be flat towed behind a motorhome. The owner's manual describes the process; it's necessary to prime the transmission in a certain way before towing to avoid damage, but nothing too hard. Needless to say, the MT Fits can be flat towed just fine, too.

What is the topic?
 

Is the topic the DI engine or the ability of a Fit to tow?

Towing is primarily dependent on the strength of the vehicle frame that the tow bar is attached to.

Then you worry about the torque of the engine and the tranny.

The Fit frame was not built to handle the additional stress of towing. Can it be used for towing. Sure, just don't tell the guy who you are trying to sell your Fit to.

The reliability of the DI engine. Honda has always been know primarily as an engine company first, and then they design interesting platforms to mount their engines.Cars, lawnmowers, airplanes, race cars, motorcycles, and scooters to name a few.

I have the the highest confidence in all of Honda's engines. They are all great.

The Honda Jazz as sold in the UK and Australia have 1000kg tow capability listed in their owner's manuals. I guess the US Fit must have a weaker engine, transmission, and unibody....yeah, that's it.

You might want to read this article:

The Great American Anti-Towing Conspiracy | The Truth About Cars

Can't agree with this either. The poster above has a good point when mentioning that the Fit is approved for towing in other countries. Litigiousness of American society results in some even more weird legal consequences such as a written warning on McDonald's cups that the LIQUID MAY BE HOT AND MAY BURN YOU.

The Fit can hand towing fine, just be reasonable and prudent. It's obviously not a truck.

had no idea you guys do that. (Ive never seen a motor home flat towing another car behind it)

JT, it is extremely common in the U.S. Actually this is what brought me to the Fit, we have a friend that flat tows a 2013 so we decided to go with the 15 to tow behind our RV but when I asked about towing the CVT found out they don't allow it. Since we likes the car so well I decided to tow the Fit using a tow dolly behind our RV.
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